Eyeglass-case.



No. 677,785. Patented July 2, 19m.

A. '1.. MARINER.

EYEGLASS CASE.

(Application medmm a, 19o1.|

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT EEioE.

E. KIRSTEIN AND ABRAHAM ASHER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

EYEG LASSCAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 677,785, dated July 2, 1901.

Application filed May 3, 1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABBOTT L. ll/IARINER, a citizen of the United States, residing at M edford,in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Eyeglass-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cases adapted to contain spectacles and eyeglasses. These cases are ordinarily made of sheet metal covered on the exterior with leather and lined on the inside with velvet.

My present improvement relates to the spring-hinge by which the cover or flap of the case is secured to the body part. It is well known that by reason of the velvet lining and outside leather cover ordinary forms of hinge 'are not readily adaptable for use on eyeglasscases; and the object of my invention is to provide a form of hinge which is free from exposed or projecting parts, which is capable of being neatly covered, and which shall act to hold the cover of the case both in the open and closed position.

In the accompanying drawingslhave shown at Figure 1 in perspective au eyeglass or spectacle case of a well-known form or shape to which mypresent improvement is applied. At Figs. 2 and 3 I have shown sections through a hinged portion of the case represented by the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the relation of the parts when the cover is fully open or fully closed, and at Fig. 3 their. relation when the cover is in an intermediate position. At Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown transverse sections of the case and cover on the dotted lines 4. at and 5 5, respectively, of Fig. 1, and at Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown in perspective and enlarged certain details of my improved hingejoint, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The cover A and the case B are provided at their meeting edges with tubular portions a 5, preferably made integral with them and equal in diameter and bore. The said portions together form a tube adapted to receive a spiral spring 0 and hinge members D E. These hinge members (shown in detail and enlarged at Figs. 6 and 7) consist of pins preferably made of metal and approximately fitting the interior of the tube a b. I have shown and Serial No. 58,562. (No model.)

prefer to employ two pairs of hinged members arranged as indicated at Figs. 2 and 3- that is to say, with a pair of hinged members at each end of the tube and the spiral spring centrally disposed. The hinged members D E are respectively provided at their abutting ends with a wedge or double taper d and a corresponding double taper slot 6 to receive the same. placed in that part of the tube attached to the cover and the other member in that part of the tube attached to the case, and each member of the hinge is prevented from turning in the tube, preferably by means of a fin or projection F, adapted to enter and interlock with a cut-away portion of the tube. This con struction is illustrated at Figs. 4 and 5, where the pin D is shown in the first-named figure with its fin entering a recess in that part B of 7c the tube formed upon the case, while in Fig.

5 the pin E is shown with its projection entering a slot in the wall of the tube a, attached to the cover.

It will be understood that the spring 0 is at all times under compression, its function being by reason of its resilience to crowd the two members of the hinge together longitudinally.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming the article to be in the condition shown in Fig. 1, with the cover in the open position, the endwise thrust of the spring O forces the parts D and E together longitudinally, and the wedge-and-slot, formation of their ends holds the cover against turning unless sufficient pressure be applied to counteract the spring-pressure. If now it is desired to close the case, this is done by the hand in the ordinary manner, and while it is being closed the parts of the hinge pass from the relation shown in Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3, the wedge no longer lying in the slot, but by reason of its rotation, due to the closing of the case, having ridden up out of the slot and 5 bearing upon the extreme end of the walls thereof and at right angles to its former po sition. It now the movement of the case be continued in closing, the further rotation of the hinged members attached to the cover will cause them to again assume a position where the Wedge is free to enter the slot un- One member of each hinge is 60 der the spring-pressure, this being the closed position shown in Fig. 4. It will further be understood that ordinarily the two members of the hinge come together, both in the open and closed position of the lid, with a slight snap, which has been found desirable in articles of this character.

I claim- 1. The improved case herein described, comprising a tray having a cover hinged thereto, the adjacent portions of the tray and cover being provided with recesses containing hinge members having their abutting ends respectively provided with a wedge and a tapered slot and a spring arranged to force the said ends together.

' scribed my name this 27th day of April, 1901.

ABBOTT L. MARINER.

' Witnesses:

GHAs. G. KURTZ, ALEX. Pi BROWNE: 

